As more and more intended parents seek to create families via international surrogacy, national governments have been forced to consider their rules for parental recognition and citizenship of the resulting children. All too often children born via international surrogacy have been denied citizenship in their...
The U.S. Supreme Court this week reversed an earlier ruling of the Alabama Supreme Court, reinstating the parental rights of a lesbian mom to the children she had legally adopted in another state.On the face of it, the SCOTUS decision was a victory for LGBT...
Parties in a long-standing class action lawsuit against two non-profit organizations serving assisted reproductive technology providers and egg donor agencies finally settled recently in an agreement that some say may result in increased fees for egg donors in the future.In the suit, filed by two...
A heart-warming news story out of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, last month highlights the remarkable advances in assisted reproductive technology (ART) over the past two decades and the positive impact it has had and is having on our world. The clip drops in on Kammi and...
Former supermodel Tyra Banks and Norwegian photographer Erik Asla announced this week the birth of their son via assisted reproductive technology (ART) and surrogacy.Banks had made no secret of the fact that she, like many career women of her generation, repeatedly put off having children...
A growing number of couples are turning to crowdfunding to help finance their efforts to become parents via assisted reproductive technology procedures, San Francisco’s Bay News 9 and New York Post reported recently. Intended parents are raising thousands of dollars toward ART procedures or adoption...
Reciprocal IVF (in vitro fertilization) often is chosen by lesbian couples who want to have a child together. In a typical reciprocal IVF scenario, one partner provides the eggs, the other gestates, or becomes pregnant and carries the baby, so that both women have a...
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced earlier this week that it is lifting its three-decade-old rule prohibiting gay and bisexual from donating blood. However, the agency said it will continue to prohibit blood donations from men who have had sex with men during the...
A law professor at Stetson University in Tampa, Florida, is suing the IRS to treat his and his partner’s assisted reproductive technology costs in the same way it has treated infertility treatment expenses for heterosexual couples. The outcome of the case could have a significant...
It’s common knowledge that the world’s rainforests contain untold millions of plants and animals that may hold miraculous cures for innumerable human ailments. A study by a group of UC Santa Barbara scientists, published recently in the journal Science, found that infection with a parasitic roundworm...
A San Francisco court upheld earlier this week an agreement that frozen embryos created via in vitro fertilization during a couple’s marriage would be discarded in the event of their divorce.Before undergoing fertility treatments at University of California, San Francisco, the couple, Mimi Lee and...
The case of William Marotta, perhaps better known as the “Kansas sperm donor” whom the state is pursuing for child support as the biological father, via sperm donation, of a daughter born to a lesbian couple, is still wending its way through the courts.Here is...
As a dad with my spouse, Tommy Woelfel, of two twin boys born via egg donation and surrogacy, I’m often asked what it’s like raising twins. Some people speculate that raising two babies would be easier than having your children spread out more; others find...
I am honored to participate in Family-Building Options for LGBT People, a free seminar presented by my colleague, fertility doctor Dr. Guy Ringler. If you are lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender and are considering becoming a parent via assisted reproductive technology, here’s your chance to...
The Texas Department of State Health Services made headlines last month when it revealed in a court filing that it would begin allowing same-sex parents’ names on children’s birth certificates—although it may be months before official birth certificate forms using gender-neutral designations for parents are...
Since the June U.S. Supreme Court ruling legalizing same-sex marriage in all 50 states, some LGBT intended parents who want to create families via surrogacy, egg donation or other forms of assisted reproductive technology have gotten the mistaken idea that being legally married means they...
Sad as I am to be the bearer of sad tidings, even before the celebrations of the June 26 U.S. Supreme Court decision legalizing same-sex marriage in all 50 states had faded, the destructive reactions had begun. People, even long-term employees, are being fired for...
The legalization of same-sex marriage in all 50 states is not the first groundbreaking U.S. Supreme Court decision impacting LGBT intended parents and their families to come down this week.In an unexpected 6-4 decision, the U.S. Supreme Court announced June 25 its ruling that Congress...
This morning’s announcement from the U.S. Supreme Court brought us the best of all possible news for same-sex couples, including same-sex parents and their children. In a 5 to 4 decision the Court ruled that bans on same-sex marriage are unconstitutional, and that same-sex marriage...
In statehouses throughout the United States, in courtrooms and international policy-making bodies, and in global organizations such as the United Nation’s Conference on Women, an orchestrated movement of social conservatives is waging a campaign to pass laws and enact policies banning various forms of assisted...
International surrogacy law is a hot topic in the London news today as we were honored to have Family Division Judge Dame Lucy Theis as our first speaker at the International Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers’ International Surrogacy Symposium, May 17-19, where I was invited to...
May has been an especially busy month at International Fertility Law Group, with lots of travel and my participation in a series of excellent professional conferences and symposiums—all offering opportunities to meet with and learn from experienced colleagues from all over the world.I’m just back...
A lawsuit filed against actress Sofia Vergara by her ex-fiancé has shone a bright light on assisted reproductive technology recently, calling attention to the legal pitfalls that can emerge unless careful precautions are taken to cover all potential circumstances—even those that are painful to consider.As...
All eyes will be on the nine judges who sit on the U.S. Supreme Court this week, as both sides present their arguments as to whether same-sex marriages should be recognized in all 50 states. It's almost surreal that one of the most important civil...
Peiya Wang joined IFLG as a paralegal in 2015, where she manages surrogacy, egg donation and parental establishment cases and provides translation services for many of IFLG’s international clients. Peiya received her bachelor’s degree from Beijing Technologies and Business University, where she majored in Marketing. She moved to the United States in 2012 to attend Northeast University in Boston, Massachusetts, receiving a Master of Science degree in Global Studies and International Affairs in 2014. Peiya moved to Los Angeles in 2015 and received her paralegal certification from UCLA Extension. When away from the office, Peiya is a dragon boat paddler and a ballroom dancer, where she favors Rumbas and Cha-chas. She is fluent in Mandarin and English.
Luis R. Sosa joined IFLG as a paralegal in 2016, where he enjoys pursuing his passion for family and reproductive law. While working toward his bachelor’s degree at Florida International University, Luis worked as a paralegal and legal assistant for family law litigation firms in Miami and Washington, D.C. As a paralegal and case manager for IFLG, Luis, who is bilingual in English and Spanish, manages surrogacy, egg donation and other reproductive law cases. In addition to spending time with husband Randy and dog Marty, Luis enjoys being outdoors and appreciating the arts.
After receiving her B.S. in Business Management, Toni joined IFLG to pursue her dream of working in the legal field. As a Paralegal with over 10 years of experience in the assisted reproduction technology field, Toni is our Managing Paralegal, responsible for training and managing our paralegal staff. From drafting legal documents to assisting our clients with post-birth matters, Toni embraces the challenge of learning something new in this field each day. Besides spending time with her son, Jordan, Toni enjoys exploring new things, cooking, spending time with family and friends, and serving as a Youth Advisor for “Next Generation.”
Miesha Cowart joined IFLG as a financial specialist in 2014 following a successful career in development and business finance. Miesha previously worked for 10 years in the construction industry as a controller and for 13 years as Development Coordinator for the non-profit U.S. Fund for UNICEF. In her free time, Miesha works with “Next Generation” at her church. “They are my heartbeats!” she says of the youth in her community.
Kim has over 25 years of experience in the legal field and has worked exclusively in surrogacy and assisted reproduction law since 1999. Kim is a senior case manager of surrogacy and egg donation cases, and is also responsible for managing parental establishment cases and interacting with IFLG’s Of Counsel attorneys across the country. With three children of her own, Kim understands the importance of family and finds working in this area of law a rewarding experience.
Attorney Rich Vaughn combined his personal passion as a father of twin boys born via assisted reproductive technology (ART) with more than 20 years of experience in business and technology law to build International Fertility Law Group. Today IFLG is one of the most successful and best-known law firms in the world focused exclusively on fertility law, helping thousands of intended parents through empathetic listening, compassionate guidance, and unmatched legal expertise. As an advocate for reproductive freedom, Rich also contributes his knowledge and time to improving the understanding and practice of ART law, most recently as a founder of and speaker at the first Cambridge University International Surrogacy Symposium held in June 2019, as immediate past chair of the American Bar Association ART Committee, and as a popular presenter to law schools, faculty and advocacy organizations all over the world.
Elizabeth received her Bachelors of Science degree in Criminal Justice from California State University of Los Angeles. Shortly after graduating, she continued her education at the University of California, Los Angeles where she obtained her Paralegal certificate. Elizabeth is fluent in Spanish and has been in the legal field since 2009. She is excited to be a part of the IFLG Team helping families realize their dreams.
Sunny joined IFLG as a paralegal in 2017, where she manages surrogacy, egg donation and parental establishment cases for many of IFLG’s international clients. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Philosophy from California State University of Los Angeles, where she graduated cum laude. Sunny is bilingual in English and Mandarin and has extensive experience as a legal assistant and paralegal at Los Angeles-area law firms. She is excited to be part of the IFLG team. In her spare time, Sunny enjoys spending time with her family and their dog, going to the beach, cooking, and being outdoors.
5757 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 645
Los Angeles, CA 90036
Phone: +1 323 331 9343
Email: info@iflg.net
Website: www.iflg.net
501 Fifth Avenue, Suite 1900
New York, NY 10017
Phone: +1 844 400 2016
Email: info@iflg.net
Website: www.iflg.net
Fertility law attorney Molly O’Brien began working in the field of assisted reproduction technology (ART) in 2005, at an egg donation agency and a surrogacy agency where she became familiar with all aspects of in-vitro fertilization, egg donation and the financial aspects of surrogacy. Since becoming an attorney in 2011, Molly has drafted and negotiated surrogacy, egg donation, sperm donation embryo donation agreements for hundreds of her clients all over the world.
